Coincidence
by Mitternachto
Summary: Deidara suffer inner pain ever since he joined the Akatsuki. A memory of a certain, dead, friend won't get away. When he and Sasori suddenly get a mission to kill a person that looks a lot like his old friend, the coincidence is a fact.
1. Boys Don't Cry

Hi! This is Deideihime and I'm "uploading" one of my fanfics here for the first time. I really hope you'll like it. I'm a big fan of Deidara, so my first fanfic will be about him. Please note that I'm from Sweden, so if there are anything spelled wrong or so, just tell me, okay?

Thanks!

Enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Coincidence **

**By DeiDeihime**

"Nobody knows who I really am…"

A young boy, about ten years old, ran out in the forest. His blond hair flew behind him and his big eyes were filled with tears, and as he ran out in the night he sobbed quietly.

He didn't stop until he came to a big lake, filled with crystalclear, dark water.

The mountains surrounding the lake threw their shadows over the little boy, as he sat down at the shore.

He sat quiet for a couple of minutes, but then started crying again.

Suddenly, a strange sound caught the little boy's attention. Someone was there, hiding in the bushes behind him.

"Wh-who's there?" he called out in the darkness. But no one replied.

So, he turned around, trying to ignore that creepy feeling of being watched.

"A boy shouldn't cry"

The young boy turned around fast. A girl, a few years older than himself, stood behind him – smiling.

The boy turned his back towards the girl.

"Did you come here to mock me, Umi-chan?"

The girl, called Umi, reached out her tounge towards him.

"Whaddya think? Dei-kun, you always cry…! Why is it that you're always so sad? You should smile more…"

"Stop it, Umi-chan. I don't feel like chatting to you tonight. Please leave, un."

But Umi sat down beside him.

"Deidara-kun…"

"Mmm..?"

"It's not a good thing to be sad. A shinobi shouldn't show feelings, brother told me that. He's a real ninja, a good one!"

"Good one, un?"

"Daddy told me there are two types of ninjas. Evil ones and good ones. The evil ninjas kill and steal and burn down peoples houses.But the good ninjas pretect the village and defend us against the bad ninjas. I wanna be a good ninja when I grow up too. Just like brother."

She looked at Deidara. Looked at his long, yellow hair and smiled.

"Dei-kun, when you grow up, what kind of ninja do you wanna be?"

Deidara looked at her back. She had short, blueish hair and a yellow dress.

"I dunno, un…"

"I just wanna be a ninja. But not a usual shinobi, I wanna be a great ninja! I'm gonna be Tsuchikage!"

((Note. Tsuchikage: the leader of the Iwagakure.))

Deidara giggled. "You can't be Tsuchikage. You'll have to be greater than me then, un. And you are not."

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Then, let's have a fight. Me against you. The winner gets to be Tsuchikage! Earthshadow! But just for one day, okay Dei-kun?"

Deidara nodded. They both stood up, facing each other.

"It'll be a fight between you and my family too! Bloodline against bloodline!"

Deidara stared at her.

"Bloodline?"

"Yeah! You know. Your familys ability against mine!"

Deidara was very excited now. A fight against the girl he fanc… er… was neighbouring with!

"Okay! Here goes!"

Umi threw out her hands before her. A tiny lightningbolt appeared, and flew towards Deidara, who picked up some clay from the ground. He fed it to a tiny mouth on his palm, who spit it out – in the shape of a little egg.

Deidara threw the egg towards the bolt, and with a little explosion it was gone. Umi too.

The explosion had hit her in the face, and now she laid on the ground, crying.

"UMI-CHAN!"

Deidara ran towards her, only to see some deep scars in her face. One seemed to cross her right eye, wich she held closed.

"Uhuhuh..! My eye!! It huuuurts! Mommy! I want my mommy!"

Suddenly a lot of people came running towards them. Umi's mother and father, togheter with Deidaras family. And a lot of other shinobi together with the Tsuchikage.

"Deidara! What on earth happened here? We heard a loud explosion!"

Deidaras father ran towards him, and then he got his eyes on Umi.

"What the…" he ran over to her. Her parents were already there, and a medical-nin were examining her eye.

"It's a deep scar across it. We have to get to the hospital at once."

Deidaras father turned over to him again.

"DEIDARA! WHAT DID YOU DO TO UMI?"

Deidara could feel the tears coming.

"I… I didn't do anything, un! Umi-chan wanted to duel and then… then…" he sobbed. But then he realized that the tears never came. He hadn't done anything wrong! It was Umi's fault who wanted to duel against him.

Deidaras father looked down at him.

"I am very angry at you, Deidara. Umi might be hurt for life!! You didn't think of that, now did you?"

Deidara stared at him. What was this? Why were they mad at him? He hadn't done anything wrong! He would never harm Umi for life! What were they talking about!?

Then, suddenly, his father slapped him. He could feel the irontaste of blood in his mouth as he felled to the ground. Chocked, he couldn't say anything, but just stared at his father.

All the people had been watching. Even Tsuchikage! And now, they all turned their backs against him and walked away. Left him all alone in the darkness.

- Later on that night -

Deidara sat on the shore again. He refused to go home. Not that a single person had come to tell him to, but he didn't want to go home. This was the second fight he had had with his father today. And he wouldn't go back there again. If they wanted him back home, they'd have to drag him.

But as he sat there, on that rock, he realized that eh was the only one in his village that was different. Every other kid was normal, ordinary children who's greatest dream was to become Tsuchikage. Only he and Umi had even a family with a special bloodline. That had made him believe that maybe he and Umi could be great friends. But it seemed like Umi didn't want to.

Was it cause he had a second mouth in his palm? But, his dad got one too, and no one hated him.

So, why didn't he have any friends? Not a single person wanted to be near him. He felt like he didn't fit in this village.

Shinobi.

That was the only word that seemed to be inside these peoples minds. Ninjas. Shurikens, missions and headbands.

Was that the reason why he didn't fit in? Because he thought it was greater things in this world than being a shinobi?

"Nobody knows who I really am…" he whispered to himself.

It was true.

Suddenly, he heard a strange sound behind him, and he turned around, only to face a young boy, in his own age. He had no foreheadprotector, so Deidara couldn't tell where he was from. Oh, wait. There was a protector, he had it around his neck. It had the symbol of Suna – the sands – on it.

The boy had brilliant red hair and cold eyes. But he smiled towards Deidara.

"Hi! Who are you?"

Deidara didn't answer at once, he didn't' know this boy, maybe he was dangerous?

"Uhm… Deidara…un."

The boy smiled.

"I'm Sasori. Nice to meet you!"

"Yeah… nice, un."

Then, another shadow appeared. He had a black cloak with red clouds on it, and it was a shadow over his face so that you couln't see his eyes or mouth.

Sasori turned around and smiled towards the man.

"Hi, Leader! This is Deidara. Can't he come with us?"

The man didn't say anything. But then, he turned to deidara, talking slowly.

"What's your name, kid?"

"De-Deidara, un."

_This is starting to get scary, un._

"Where are you from? Are you here from Iwa?"

"Un"

The man called "Leader" nodded.

"Very well, Sasori. Take him with you and we'll see what he can do."

Then the shadowman disappeared in a dark cloud of smoke.

Sasori turned to Deidara, and grabbed his hand.  
"Come on, Deidara! Let's go!"

"Go… where?"

"You'll see."

Sasori started to drag Deidara into the forest. He was very strong for being a eleven-twelve years-old boy.

"But… but wait, un! I don't wanna go, un! I wanna stay here.. with mommy and daddy…" Deidara shouted. What was this? Kidnapping!?

Sasori turned around to face him again. But now his smile was gone.

"It didn't look like you wanted to stay before. You cried and said 'nobody knows who I really am'. So I thought I could save you. Me and leader got a mission in this village, and you can help us. We're gonna "take care" of a person who's very dangerous for our organi… er… us."

Deidara didn't know what to do.

Sasori was the first one ever that seemed to comfort him. Or did he? He was telling him to come with him. But, what would mom and dad say if he just followed a strange boy from the sands?

But, said a voice in Deidaras head, they wouldn't care, now would they? They only care about 'being a ninja' and your dad just slapped you.

It would be nice to get away from this village for a while. Maybe Sasori knew something of the only thing Deidara liked – art?

Deidara had a choice now. To go or to stay. To go with a person who might be his friend, or to stay in a village where everyone hated him.

"Okay. I'm coming, un."

Sasori smiled again.

"Great!"

"By the way, un. Who is it we're gonna take care of?"

Sasori grinned.

"A girl called Umi."

To be continued...

7


	2. A monster in the village of rocks

Coincience

By DeiDeiHime

"Sasori-kun... where are we going, un?"

Deidara sighed. They had being going for a while now. His feet were soar and he was hungry. And tired. This sucked.

"Sasori-kuuun..."

Sasori turned around, he hadn't said anything since they'd left the lake.

"Deidara-san, please continue walking, we'll soon reach our goal, I can promise you."

_Sasori-kuns voice sounds different from before. _

Suddenly they stopped.

They were standing in front of a house, a pretty big one.

Deidara inhaled quickly. This was…!

Umi's house!

"Sasori-kun… when you said "Umi", then, did you mean my Umi-chan, un? My _friend_ Umi-chan?"

Sasori looked at him, with those tiredlooking eyes.

"I do notknow if you know her, but she's a threath to all of us. If she grew up while learning her unique skills to the max, she'll be very dangerous. We have to take care of her."

"Take care of, un? What do you mean with "take care of"?"

Sasori didn't answered, but started walking to the door into Umi's house. Then, he turned around.

"Deidara-san, please close your eyes for a minute. Whatever you may hear, or whatever may happen, do not open your eyes until I say that you can do so. Okay?"

"U-Un."

Deidara closed his eyes hard, and put his hands over them, just in case.

He could only hear sounds now. And the first one he heard, was a zapping sound and something that could be a huge… thing dropped on the ground.

He couldn't tell what Sasori was doing just by listening, but suddenyl there was a huge crash and Deidara was about to open his eyes, when Sasori shouted.

"Deidara-san! DO NOT OPEN YOUR EYES YET!"

Deidara really tried to keep them closed, but when he suddenly heard a lot of voices, he just couldn't resist to peek.

Through a little opening betewwn his fingers, he could see Sasori, holding astrange doll that was connected to him with blue strings.

Behind him was Umi's… wait a minute!

There was no house.

In stead, there was a lot of broken planks and ash. Umi-chan was facing Sasori – crying.

"You meanie! What… what did you do to my daddy and mommy?"

She pointed at her parents who was taken care of by some medical shinobi. The looks on the medical nins' faces told Deidara that there was no hope for Umi-chans parents.

Sasori was now going to attack, pointing his doll at Umi-chan.

"Sa-SASORI-KUN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO UMI-CHAN!!??"

Deidara forgot all about closing his eyes, he ran as fast as he could towards Sasori and Umi.

Sasori's eyes were filled with anger.

"Deidara-san! Please stay put and CLOSE YOUR EYES."

But Deidara shoook his head. "I don't want to, un!"

Umi stared at the two boys fighting. Then she kept her eyes fixed on Deidara.

"Dei-kun! I HATE YOU! Why did you burn down our house??"

"Wha…"

Deidara didn't believe his ears. It was Sasori who had done it..! Couldn't she see him? Why did she think that she was the one who had killed her parents and set her house on fire?

"Umi-chan. I haven't…"

"Shut up, Dei-kun!" She was now crying wild. "I thought we were friends! Even though you hurt me, I still like you, so why do you atatck us?"

Now other shinobi had gathered around the place. One of them took a hard grip on Deidaras neck.

"What do you think you're doing, kid?"

Deidara couldn't get loose. What to do now? He was captured, and everyone thought that he had set Umi's house on fire and killed her parents.

He could see his mother in the crowd. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, and her eyes were filled of disapointment.

Why didn't she help him? And why didn't they take any notice about Sasori?

Deidara turned around his head, only to see Sasori stare back at him.

"Sasori-kun, help me!"

"See?"

"What, un?"

"They caught you instead of me. You said that you loved your parents. Does this look like love to you? Look at them, they are just staring at you, they doesn't give a finger to help you! Deidara-san. This village doesn't like you, they fear and detest you, calling you "monster" behind your back. You have always felt it, haven't you? You don't fit in here. But I know a place where you'll fit. It's an… organization. I guess you could call it that. The members of that organization, are all peopl who did not fit in their villages. They all have special abilities, like you and me, Deidara. And they won't call you monster. If you'd like, you could join that organization. Will you?"

Deidaras head was spinning. Monster? Organization? Abilities? What WAS this? What did Sasori mean… were these villagers calling him "monster"? In fact, it wouldn't surprise him. Just look at them.

Pathetic little creatures, all bound to the Tsuchikage and the word of "shinobi". They did not see the important things in life. They were a bunch of blind fools who tried to capture him.

"Deidara is your name, right? You will be taken to prison for your acts tonight. To attack a person of the same village without further reason is a very serious crime, you'll have to understand that even if you're just a child." Said the guard that was still holding on to Deidaras neck.

"Shut up!" Deidara screamed suddenly "Shut up, shut up, shut up! Why do you arrest me, I haven't done anything, you pathetic fools..! Let go of me!"

But they were only holding on ot him harder.

"Even the likes of you should understand…"

"The likes of me, un!? What do you think I am, a monster?"

Enough. ENOUGH! Deidara did a sudden movement and got himself loose. His mind was blinded. It was true! All what Sasori had been saying was true!

In his anger he turned to Umi, while feeding his second mouth with clay.

"You. Don't you dare to call myself your friend,un. I'm sure you think I'm a monster too, eh?" Tears rolled down his cheeks now. "Well, tell youwhat, un. I really liked you, Umi-cha… Umi-san. But you're as false as tall the others, un!"

"Dei-kun! No, wai.."

But it was too late. Deidara threw the bomb at Umi and it created a bang and a huge cloud of smoke. At the same time, he could feel Sasoris hand claiming his, and he grabbed it.

Together they ran out of the village. Out of the Country of Earth and towards the eternal dawn – the Akatsuki.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Ah, now, excuse me for the spelling, I do not haave the time (or energy) to read this again. It's very late and I'm going to school tomorrow.

Well, folks! Thanks for rewieving! It really feels good knwoing that perople actually read my stuff..!

Please keep comment and I'll keep on writing!

(Btw, isn't young Sasori the sweetest? He seems so cute!)

5


	3. Welcome to the Akatsuki

Coincidence

By Linnéa Karlsson

"Sasori-kun… "

"Um?"

"How is that Umi didn't see you, un?"

"I've already told you that. I used a technique that made me invisible…"

"But why didn't you show yourself, un?"

"Why do you add 'un' to every thing you say?"

"Dunno, un. It's my policy, I think… No ,really, I've always done it that way, un. And you're changing subject again, Sasori-kun…"

"Be quiet, we're almost there now."

Deidara sighed. He was so tired. All his thoughts gathered in his head were making him dizzy. And he was hungry, tired and had very sore feet.

Suddenly, Sasori stopped.

They stood in front of a huge stone wall. It was really big, rising up into the grey sky. Rain was falling, making the stone wet and black.

A huge boulder was blocking something that looked like an exit. Or a door into the wall. Strange…

"Sasori-kun, what are we gonna do now, un?"

"We're gonna get inside. The others are waiting for us in there."

He walked over to the huge stone, and placed his hand on it. He whispered some words, and suddenly the boulder started to rumble. It rolled aside, making an opening – big enough for them to enter the huge cave that seemed to be inside.

Sasori waved to Deidara to follow him, and together they entered the cave.

It was pitch black in there. The only light camefrom a torch Sasori held in his hand.

They started walking. The cave seemed to be made of stone only. Dark walls were on both side of them, and formed some sort of cage along with the low roof and wet floor. Deidara could feel a sting of claustrophobia, but when Sasori held the torch up higher, it disappeared.

They were standing in a huge cave now, a thousand times bigger than the one they entered through. Some really impressive statues were all around them, and a lot of torches were hanging down from the roof.

There seemed to be no one there, but suddenly they could hear a strange sound – like someone eating a really juicy fruit. It didn't sound nice, but really uncomfortable. What if there was a bear inside this cave that were feasting on another humans flesh right now? Deidara could feel his heart jumping up in his throat. He claimed Sasoris hand.

"Sa-Sasori-kun… what is this place, un?"

But Sasori didn't answer, butcalled out into the darkness.

"Zetsu-sama! I, Sasori and Deidara, are here now, and are waiting for Leader. Would you please tell him that we've arrived."

The ugly sound stopped, and the sound of feet staggering slowly towards them appeared.

When Deidara finally could see them man called Zetsu, he gasped, and hid behind Sasoris back.

It was a strange man, half his face was pale white, and the other half were pitch black. His eyes were empty, and he had not a single expression in his face.

But the scariest part was the plant.

A huge plant seemed to be growing on his shoulders and up towards the sky. It had sharp spikes on it, and it looked like a big weed.

"Sasori… I shall go get Leader." The strange man said, with a surprisingly calm voice. He disappeared into nothing and Sasori turned around.

"Deidara-san. This is the Akatsuki. Its members are creatures such as Zetsu, Leader… and myself. Our true objective is not yet to be told to you, who is only a 'newbie' to the Akatsuki. Even I aren't yet a full member, but a novice. My mission is to find persons with special abilities – such as yourself – and then bring them here. But don't you worry, I'll take care of you. We're friends, right?" he smiled.

Deidara nodded.

Akatsuki. It sounded… pretty cool. A top secret organisation for people with special skills. People who, like himself, had been called 'monsters' behind their backs. Maybe this were were he'd fit in.

"Deidara-san, I'll give you the novice clothes and then I'll show you around the cave – or headquarter as we prefere to call it."

"U-Un."

They started walking.

Suddenly, Sasori started talking – which was pretty unusual, since it had ben Deidara who did all the talking on the way here. Maybe Sasori were more relaxed here, in the HQ?

"Deidara-san…"

"Please, call me Deidara, un!"

"Okay. Deidara… you happen to know anything about… art?"

Deidara stopped. Art? Could it possibly be that… Sasori were an artist like himself?

"Uhm, a little, un."

Now it was Sasoris turn to stop.

"You do?"

Deidara nodded again.

"I like to draw, un. And I like to make sculptures in clay, and to…"

"Wait, I mean REAL art?"

"Real art?"

"Yeah. Hey, Deidara. What do you thin kart is? For me, it's the everlasting beauty of something eternal. Something that last for a long time, collecting peoples eyes on it."

Deidara raised his eyebrows. This was pretty poetic to come from a twelve-years- old boy. Sasori had seemed to think about this a lot.

"No, I do not think so, un. Art isn't something eternal."

"Then, what do you think it is?"

"Art is that fast moment before something stop to excist. The seconds before everything blow up. Art is a… BANG! A short moment of joy, that's the true meaning of art."

Sasori shook his head.

"It's not. Art is eterlnal."

"Explosive."

"Eternal"

"Explosive"

"Eternal"

"EXPLOSIVE!!"

Later on that evening

Deidara sat outside the cave, on the huge boulder. Sasori had given him some free time before it was time to meet the Leader.

He had got a novice-cloak from Sasori. It looked much like Zetsus and the Leaders cloaks, only that Deidaras didn't have any cloads on it.

He was thinking. Were there any other members of the Akatsuki? Maybe some in his age?

He _did_ recall that he'd seen a shape of a young kid, hiding inside the shadows of the cave. But maybe it was a… well… a prisoner? Deidara wasn't sure.

It all seemed so good. The Akatsuki really looked scary from the outside, but it wasn't! He and Sasori had just had a hell of a time, having a pillowfight with some ugly, smelly pillows they had found inside the cave. Only to think that such a thing as pillows excisted in the dark cave, was amazing. The cave was actually pretty comfortable, deep inside.

However, Deidara hoped that someone wouldn't find out that he and Sasori just had destroyed about twenty pillows.

Suddenly he could hear Sasoris voice calling him back from the ground.

"Deidaaaaaraaa! Leader is waiting for us, get down here!"

Deidara nodded.

"Un!"

He jumped down fro the roof and landed in front of Sasori.

"What were you doing up there?"

"Nothing, un."

´

"Then let's go. Leader is waiting."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ah, pretty short chapter, sumimasen. I'm, currently not at home, meaning, not at my computer. I'm going to Stockholm (capital of Sweden) tomorrow and I'm using my grandpa's oooooold computer.

However, I do excuse for the incident with the pillows. I just thought it would be sweet to let Sasori and Deidara show that they're only young boys. Kids.

Ah, I just found out. Everyone else ´in this fanfic is calling the leader for "the Leader" except for Sasori who only refers him as "Leader", maybe I'll find out why later on… (BIG DEAL)

Once again, sorry for my spelling, I'm really tired today too… (Why is it that I only write late at night??? Ah, I don't seem to be alone, now do I?)

To all people who rewieved: THANKS A LOT! It keepes me writing, knowing that people reed this… Keep the comments up, please!! You can never tell how much it inspires me… 3

8


	4. Entering The Domain Of Pain

Coincidence

Author: Mitternachto

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Deidara and Sasori walked along a dark corridor. They had been walking for a while now, and Sasori seemed nervous. He didn't talk very much, and Deidara was beginning to wonder who this "Leader" was. It seemed like Sasori seemed almost scared to meet him.

"Sasori-kun, who is this Leader-person?" Deidara asked, to break the frosty silence between them.

At first Sasori didn't answer, and Deidara thought that Sasori hadn't heard him. But then he replied, slowly as if he wasn't sure himself.

"Leader is the founder of the Akatsuki, and he is the one who orders the members around. But, the truth is that no one knows all that much about him, since the members are the only ones to really meet him, and when they do, he hides in the shadows."

Sasori sighed.

"I've never even met him myself; this will be the first time for me. Novices like you and me aren't allowed to meet him. Or her. I don't know which. But personally, I'd really like to know at least his _name_, instead of referring to him as 'Leader' all the time."

Aha. Deidara understood that this was the reason why Sasori seemed nervous. To meet with the Leader. But then he remembered one thing…

"Sasori-kun… The day we met, you spoke with someone – a man hidden in the shadows – and you called him Leader, un."

Sasori nodded.

"That was Leader, indeed, but only a replica; A clone. A clone of shadows sent after me to check that I did my chores."

Sasori turned his back against Deidara and started walking again.

They kept going through the dark corridor, until they came to a small, chilly room with a chandelier hanging down from the roof. Deidara thought it was pretty strange to have a beautiful chandelier hanging from the roof in a cold cave, but it seemed to brighten up the place a lot.

It was really pretty, with golden curves and thin crystal-bars hanging down from it. The only light in the cave came from a torch hanging in the ceiling. The light from the torch created a beautiful prism; crossing the chandelier it created a rainbow-colored shadow on the wet floor.

"Whaaa! So pretty!" Deidara gasped as he looked at the chandelier.

Sasori stopped, and turned to Deidara with an angry face.

"Deidara, keep your voice down! You do NOT want to disturb Leader!"

Deidara put his hands in front of his mouth, to show Sasori that he'd be quiet from now on.

Sasori continued.

"This room is called the 'Room of the Chandelier', simply enough. It's like the waiting room before you can enter his private chamber. The chandelier is a gift from someone to Leader, or something, I'm not sure…"  
But Sasori was interrupted by a strange sound. Deidara turned around – only to notice two gigantic oak-doors opening. Apparently the doors had been there all the time, but Deidara had been too charmed by the Chandelier to notice them.

Sasori's face became pale, as he started pushing Deidara in front of him.

"Come on, Deidara. He's waiting…"

Wet.

This room was very wet. There was water on the floor, and water seemed to come down from the ceiling too – just like rain.

Deidara stood in the largest room he'd ever seen – the torches on these walls were dimmed and only a ghostly-white light shined up the enormous cave. The ceiling was perfectly round, and in the middle of the room, two huge statues shaped like two hands were placed. They seemed to be the only thing in this room, everything else was pitch black and no furniture seemed to exist. A single door on the opposite side of the hall seemed to lead to a smaller room – perhaps the Leaders private room?

Sasori looked very nervous, as he called out in the dark room:

"Leader-sama, we are here now, me – Sasori – and Deidara of Iwagakure."

At first, not a sound was heard. But then a voice answered. The voice sounded strange, not really human, but at the same time very calm.

"Sasori, I know perfectly well who you – and your friend - are, there is no need to tell me again, please stop wasting time. It is a pretty night outside the cave, with only a pure fall of rain, so why don't you go outside and enjoy the experience of being drenched up in perfectly wet rain tonight, Sasori?"

Sasori blushed, bowed and started to walk towards the exit. He tried his best to hide his disappointment, but Deidara could see it, and he felt sorry for his friend. Sasori had been so excited, really wanting to meet the Leader, and now he was being told to wait outside.

But Deidara didn't dare to say anything to defend his friend, the Leader seemed to be a person with great power, and he didn't want a fight.

As Sasori closed the door, the Leader spoke again.

"Deidara, come closer, I want to take a look at you. Sasori has told me that you have a very special bloodline, and it would be such a waste to ignore your powers."

Deidara came a little bit closer – so close that he could see the silhouette of a man standing on the thumb of one of the hands. When Deidara stopped, the silhouette jumped down from the thumb, and landed close to Deidara.

At first, Deidara didn't dare to look up in the Leaders face, but then his curiosity won, and he peeked up on the Akatsuki Founder.

The first thing he noticed was the Leaders brilliant, orange hair. It stood like spikes right up from his head, and on his forehead protector there was the sign of the Rain village.

His eyes had peculiar circles around the center, and he had a huge amount of piercings in his face and ears.

Deidara couldn't help himself – he stared up in the Leaders face.

"If you stop staring at me, I shall make my speech short, and then you will go back to your shores again."

Deidara blushed, and lowered his head. The Leader kept talking.

"I know that you are new into the Akatsuki, but I am sure Sasori will tell you about your duties. You are set on trial, as a novice, and at proper age and maturity you shall perhaps become a full worthy member. As for now, you shall pay respect to the members, and you shall do what you are told to do, without any questions."

The young boy nodded, and felt how scared he was of this Leader. He wished that Sasori had still been with him, because he had never been as frightened before as he was now. The Leader had some sort of aura, a feeling of total control that scared Deidara a lot.

The Leader seemed satisfied with Deidaras reaction.

"As for today, Sasori will take you around the cave to introduce you to the other members. And maybe in a week or so, you'll begin your lessons."

Deidara gasped.

"My lessons…sir?"

The Leader nodded. "A private teacher will analyze your abilities and train you in combat. You will have your lessons along with the other novices, and I expect you to do well and behave."

Deidara nodded fast now, he wanted to leave this room as soon as possible.

The Leader turned his back against Deidara. "That is all for now. You may leave."

Deidara nodded, and started walking towards the huge doors. But then, suddenly he remembered Sasori's wish.

"_But personally, I'd really like to know at least his name, instead of referring to him as 'Leader' all the time."_

Deidara turned against the Leader again.

"Sir.. Leader-sama, un?"

The Leader didn't answer him, but Deidara tried anyways.

"May I…we…Sasori and I… know your…name? Sir?"

At first, the Leader didn't say anything. But then, slowly, he started speaking.

"My name is one privilege that novices may never have. It is good enough for you to call me Leader."

"Oh.." Deidara blushed again. He should have understood from the beginning that the Leaders name was top secret.

He started walking again, and just as he opened the doors, the Leaders voice echoed from the room within.

"It's Pain. My name is Pain."

Deidara smiled. This was a success. A final success and a real privilege. He couldn't wait to tell Sasori about the Leaders name.

Maybe, Deidara thought, maybe this Akatsuki isn't all that bad after all?

To be continued...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WHOAH! I am SO SORRY for taking so long! It's been AGES since I uploaded a chapter on this story, please forgive me. I have been totally busy with school, cosplaying and sewing. I will start writing more, I SWEAR!

Ah, chapter… four is it? However, hope ya like it. I do NOT like my description of Pain, and I do NOT like to call him Pain! It's PEIN! But Pain was more fitting to the title :P Please forgive me. The only strange thing with his way to speak is that he doesn't drag words together like "It's" or "Weren't", but says "It is" and "Were not" instead (BIG DEAL!!)….

Ah well… I like Deidara.

((THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS!!!!!))


	5. Getting Closer

**Coincidence **

_Chapter 5_

By: Mitternachto

"…so his name's Pain, huh?" Sasori asked for the third time.

Deidara nodded fast.

Sasoris eyes shimmered with excitement as they started walking towards the exit of the long tunnel. He was a bit jealous of Deidara, who had spoken to the Leader personally. But since Deidara had told him everything that Pain had said, it felt better.

They kept walking, until they reached the end of the corridor. They entered the hallway cave again, and walked towards another door, when suddenly they heard a scream.

Deidara turned around fast, only to see a boy running towards them. He was running very fast, apparently he hadn't noticed them yet. A minute later, he collided with Deidara, who had been too chocked to jump out of the boys path.

"Ouch!! Watch it, you moron.." The boy shouted as he tried to get up on his feet again.

Deidara rubbed his head, which was aching fast, and stared up at the boy.

He had pale, almost white hair, combed backwards in a backslick haircut, and his purple eyes were filled with anger as he stared at Deidara.

"What are you doing, you complete IDIOT? Watch your steps next time, blondie-chan!"

Deidara could feel tears rolling down his cheeks. Why was this boy so angry at him? He hadn't done anything wrong, except that he'd tripped when the boy collided with him. What kind of rude boy was this?

The boy turned to Sasori.

"Is this fart YOU'R responsibility, Sasori? You'd better watch over him. Look he's even started crying. Poor little blondie-chan is crying, Sasori! Comfort him or else he'll send his mom after me. Boo-hoo."

And with those words, the boy ran off.

Sasori helped Deidara up on his feet, and brushed away some dust off his cloak.

"Ignore him, Deidara. His name's Hidan, and he's a real bully. Leader-sama has told him to stop being such an idiot a thousand times, but he never learns. He's a novice, like you and me, but I have no idea what his abilities are..."

Deidara sniffed, and immediately got angry at himself. Why was he crying? He remembered Umi's voice echoing in his head;

"_A boy shouldn't cry... "_

He shook his head, and nodded towards Sasori.

"I don't like him, un..."

Sasori let out a laugh, and then started walking again, with Deidara following him as a loyal shadow, frightened to bump into some other scary novice.

They kept walking, and Deidara started to wonder if this underground cave even had an end.

As they moved on, Deidara noticed that the cave started to get friendlier, the corridore they were currently walking in were painted in a beautiful ashred colour, making it look like a dawn over a dark field. Deidara "Aww"-ed, and "Ohh"-ed as they kept going straight ahead.

Sasori stopped in front of a door, painted in dark blue, with a sign on it; "Sasori's Room".

"I guess we need to change the sign now, since it's your room too now, Deidara..." Sasori smiled towards his younger friend.

As he opened the door, Deidara walked in slowly, his eyes wandering around the room.

It was a pretty room, with the same ashred colors on the walls as the corridore outside had been painted in. The floor was made of dark wooden planks, and a dark blue carpet was spread over it.

In the room, there was also two small beds, a table, two chairs, a wardrobe and an old, dirty workbench.

Sasori pointed at the bed to the left.

"This bed's yours, Deidara. The wardrobe contains our clothes, and some personal stuff. This workbench is for my personal use, so please do not touch it, or the things on it, as it could be dangerous."

He nodded towards some tiny bottles standing on the bench. They were filled with a strange, yellow liquid – probably poison. There were also a bunch of tools, planks och rusty old screwes lying on the workbench.

"I won't, un... But, where can I keep _my _personal things, Sasori-kun?"

Sasori looked surprised.

"Have you got personal things with you? I thought you didn't bring anything from Iwagakure?"

Deidara lowered his head, and pulled something out of his pocket. It was a hairband. Shining red, and made out of some sort of elastic material. It reflected the light from the torches in the roof, casting a shimmering light around it.

"It was Umi-chans..." Deidara whispered "She gave it to me as a birthdaypresent... I got angry at her for giving me such girly presents. But she'd just smile towards me and walk away, un."

Sasori laughed. "Well, you liked the present, right? Why don't you use the hairband instead of putting it in the wardrobe?"

Deidara blushed. The thought of having a hairband in his own unruly fair har, had never occured to him. It was after all, a girl accessory.

But Sasori just smiled, got over to Deidara and took the hairband form his hands. After that, he started to comb through Deidaras hair with his hands. He put up a high ponytail, and used the hairband to make it stay put.

"There. In that way, you can use the hairband without looking too girly." He said, grinning.

-Later on that evening-

Sasori and Deidara sat on their beds, talking. It was dark outside, and they were supposed to be asleep. Tomorrow there was time for Deidaras first combatlesson, and it had been a tough day. But Sasori and Deidara wanted to get to know each other, therefore they were still awake.

"So, Deidara... What's your favourite animal?" Sasori asked.

Deidara ponered for a second.

"Uhm... I think I like... birds. They're pretty and they can fly really high, un! I like to watch the birds fly, because then you feel all dizzy, and that's fun, un." Deidara replied "What about you, Sasori-kun? What's your favourite animal? Scorpions, un?"

Sasori looked confused.

"Why would I like scorpions?"

"Because your name means Scorpion, un!"

Suddenly Sasori looked ashamed.

"That's just what my... parents... named me. I have nothing to do with my name, and I would change it if I could. But Leader finds it necessary for me o have something left that can remind me of where I came from."

Deidara looked confused.

"But, you're from the Sands, eh? Why would you forget about that?" Without waiting for a reply, he continued "My mom used to say that 'Deidara' means 'Bird of Duty'. She used to tell me to always do my duties, to always do what I was told to, because then I'd be happy in life. But I wasn't happy at all when I did my duties in Iwagakure, un. I don't like to have other people telling me what to do _all the time_, un..."

Sasori snorted.

"Your mom was wrong, Deidara. You can NEVER do aeverything you're told, because then you'd destroy yourself from the inside. You've gotta live your own life, and do what you want to do, otherwise you'll live an unhappy life, obsessed with what others may think of you, and that is only a half life – a CURSED life, if you ask me..."

Deidara didn't reply. He didn't understood all Sasori had said, but he got a feeling that Sasori'd been through a lot. Instead, he changed the subject.

"I'm glad I got into the Akatsuki, Sasori-kun... My parents doesn't love me, and everyone thinks I'm a monster. Even Umi-chan hates me now. And I've never got a real friend before, so I'm glad I met you too..."

Deidara couldn't see Sasoris face, since it was hidden in the shadows, but at those words, Sasori blushed so deep that it was hard to tell his skin apart form his hair. Sasori had never had a friend before neither, even though it was a bit early to call Deidara a friend, since they'd only known each other for a day.  
A voice inside Sasoris head warned him to get too close to Deidara, since it was a weakness to have friends. But Sasori were able to ignore that voice. For now.

As dawn started to roll over the land where the Akatsuki hideout lay hidden, morning combat practise started. If you looked closely, you could see the silhouette of two young boys, running torwards the training area. They seemed to have overslept. But the boys looked happy, laughing and joking.

Yes, Deidara and Sasori were good friends.

A friendship that would be tested in the future.

A friendship that might die.

But a friendship that also could pass the trials.

Only time would tell.

----------------------------------------------------

Ah, short chapter. Also, a kind of filler-chapter where not much happens, but believe me – the next upcoming chapters will.

I also wanted to introduce Hidan, and I liked the thouht of him as a teasing bully. But I was tired when I wrote it, so I'm certain there will be spelling/grammar errors. I WILL overlook them as soon as possible. Probably XD

THANKS so much for commenting and adding your thoughts, it's helping me a lot, believe it!

-Mitternachto


End file.
